Season Wrap Thoughts

[JT AM da real deal]

Lots to think through here:

Babs? does he stay or move up or get let go?
Freddy? can we line up for another season knowing we don't have a money goalie?
Marleau? how do we unload?
Signing Marner/Dubie? do we trust Dubie with this negotiation?
Willy? do we unload for better defense given CAP?
Kadri? can we deal with his mental fragility?
How do we finally improve our defenders types and get a better mix of skills on the back end?

Some major issues to deal with this off season. And critical to move to next level. Give Shanny some time to think it all through. I hope to God he can figure it out.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Sorry, didn't see the edit.

That's fine to say we were playing the B's but we played our way out of home ice and really didn't ramp up going in to the playoffs either. It showed a lack of professionalism for most of this team and it's the exact type of problem we saw in the playoffs. Inability to bear down and simply execute.

We are very likely to play Bruins again next season so we better think through how to beat them?

 

[DarkKnight]

Sorry, didn't see the edit.

That's fine to say we were playing the B's but we played our way out of home ice and really didn't ramp up going in to the playoffs either. It showed a lack of professionalism for most of this team and it's the exact type of problem we saw in the playoffs. Inability to bear down and simply execute.

That's fair, we were really uneven second half. We had this attitude we could turn it on and bail out a bad performance. I chalk it up to experience, just like we learned this year to protect a lead.

 

[Joedoggy]

Any GM with Babcock as a coach is behind the 8 ball ..Its called damage control(ego)

 

[Al14]

Post test.

 

[Gallagbi]

We are very likely to play Bruins again next season so we better think through how to beat them?

Execute, it's really that simple. a bad PK and a bad performance by Freddy in Game 7 are the primary reasons we lost. Lots of other smaller factors like Kadri, PP, turnovers, etc.. but ultimately we carried most of the play in the series and generated the majority of chances. This could have been over in 5

 

[mashedpotato]

Advance past a first round matchup.
Compete and put forth the effort that's required in critical games.
Make adjustments to the roster and identify the key personnel that needs to be on the ice when it's appropriate to do so.

If we haven't managed to address these then, I'd say it was at the very least a season where we didn't grow; worst case is we've gotten older and worse in our ways.

 

[I Believe]

Moore and Ennis have impressed me this playoffs. They were fearless out there.

 

[rumman]

from the top down:
Shanahan: choosing Dubas was a mistake.

Dubas: Schooled on Nylander/Mathews contract, thought our D was underrated, doesn't think team needs physicality.

Babcock: good coach, but doesn't seem to know how (or want to) cater to the millennials, misuses/over uses players. He's accountable for lack of playoff success.

Players: no consistency, if they performed up to their capabilities they'd have moved on. Some players need heart transplants.

 

[ryno23]

this will be an interesting offseason for the Dubas and the Leafs. Many questions to answer

1. Is Babs the right coach for this team and how Dubas wants to play. Matthews and Babs can it work? Can he change the stretch pass system and employ a system better suited for this team. Is he willing to get rid of his assistants who cannot adapt when their PK and PP were crap.

2. Do you trade Nylander or Kadri to improve the D. Can Nylander assume the 3rd line C role and can his game go to the next level is he willing to engage physically in both ends of the rink or stay a soft perimeter player. I think he engaged better in both ends in this series. If that can continue then Kadri is expendable and moving him for a D is necessary. If you don't think Nylander can do it then you trade him and provide a small leash for Kadri not to act stupid. Go to anger management classes.

3. Do not resign Gards or Hainsey. Move on from them and find a couple of D who can move the puck but also play a physical game much like Muzzin

4. Don't overpay for AJ or Kappy. They are lots of players out there that can sub in and replace their production.

Big questions going into next season.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

Execute, it's really that simple. a bad PK and a bad performance by Freddy in Game 7 are the primary reasons we lost. Lots of other smaller factors like Kadri, PP, turnovers, etc.. but ultimately we carried most of the play in the series and generated the majority of chances. This could have been over in 5

All true points but same thing has happened 3 of last 7 years. Different reasons but same results. Different goalies with reimer and freddy but both won us a game and both lost us game 7 freddy twice. PK was aweful with caryle and babs and both played run and gun hockey to out doom. When you look deep failings are all the same with different names.

 

[ThaiTanicDK]

My wrap up is, thank god we have Andersen.

 

[93WrapAround]

There is no discussion, he has to go. He has been getting steadily worse as the years progress, and every time he gets in the playoffs he loses his mind and handicaps us. Get rid of him, there is no benefit to having him.

There are a few players we have to understand do NOT help our cause. I don't care what Gardiner's stats are during the regular season or in his career. Every playoffs he crumbles under pressure, makes insanely bad mistakes, and just compare his compete level to Morgan Rielly. It's not even close.

We've given several players multiple chances. Enough is enough. Get rid of them, and then figure if we can salvage Nylander or if he has to go too.

There is definitely going to be a discussion, re: Kadri, and should be imo. His contract is not bad at all. As big as those 2 mistakes have been, it doesn't negate the other 99% of his play which is very serviceable if not great for a 3rd line centre. You have to factor in who would replace him if we let him go. Nylander? You want a 7 mill/year guy playing 3rd line minutes? Anyone cheaper than Kadri will not give you a fraction of the value he offers. He is worth a gamble in hopes he can curb those few moments he crosses the line. That Game 2 was one of the worst officiated games I've ever seen and he was almost severely hurt because of it - context should not be ignored.

 

[DarkKnight]

Moore and Ennis have impressed me this playoffs. They were fearless out there.

Moore deserves a top 9 spot, his jam last night was exceptional. Has some talent too.

 

[mapleleafs34]

Moore and Ennis have impressed me this playoffs. They were fearless out there.

They were ***king unbelievable last night

 

[Amadeus]

There were two portions of the season where I really liked our game. The first was the California trip and the 2nd was the Western Canada trip later on in the year even though the OT loss in Vancouver kick started a pretty bad slump.

Throughout the year, I didn't see incremental improvement from this team. We didn't get better and better at the cycle game. Our PP got worse and was predictable throughout the year. Babcock showed incredible stubbornness leaving Kadri there on the 1st PP pairing when he should have moved around some personnel.

I also question the team's construct. Even with Kadri, who had a terrible year, we lack a true shut down line. Instead, we had the Marner line trying to shut down Boston the entire series, negating their offense. Sure, we took them to Game 7 but they had the better special teams throughout the series and were better defensively.

Our problems are very clear. Teams like Boston were able to maintain possession of the puck in our zone a lot longer than we were, it seemed. Their size allowed them to win most puck battles and I felt they neutralized any of our offense off the rush. Hence, to make improvements, we need to:

1. Address our defense
2. Add a shutdown line
3. Add size and toughness

 

[Gallagbi]

All true points but same thing has happened 3 of last 7 years. Different reasons but same results. Different goalies with reimer and freddy but both won us a game and both lost us game 7 freddy twice. PK was aweful with caryle and babs and both played run and gun hockey to out doom. When you look deep failings are all the same with different names.

This was not run and gun hockey and Reimer was not the leaky sieve Freddy was in Game 7. Much different teams and situations.

Last year we also battled back in to the series, this year we took our foot off the pedal.

 

[leburn98]

this is the stage of the rebuild/compete cycle where teams that followed the same blueprint as us started to have real success, Chicago won a cup with Kane and Toews on their ELC's.

I'm usually a very optimistic person, but if the Leafs don't do serious damage in the playoffs next year, with the young core all in their primes and the bulk of the cap commitments made, it might be time to rebuild again - that would mean this core is just not good enough despite what they look like on paper, and we wouldn't have the money or the high draft picks to supplement them. This could be really bad.

The thing that the Washington Capitals Cup run should have taught us is that there is no singular way to win a Cup. The Caps won their first Cup with a core pushing 30. As for not having the money or high draft picks to supplement the core, that's why you have a scouting staff. A high draft pick is no excuse not to find serviceable talent. A franchise like the Leafs, with the resources at their disposal should not have this issue.

 

[Al14]

Decent year my ass. This team regressed. Fewer regular season points with the same 1st round exit IS NOT PROGRESS IMHO.

Added Tavares, added Muzzin, same old, same old, IS NOT PROGRESS.

 

[Nineteen67]

The value argument, one thing to keep in mind after July 1st he becomes incredibly attractive "real money" wise. I'm saying you trade him no matter, but if a decent opportunity comes and you can get some cap relief, I'd consider it for sure.

There wasn't a soul on here who felt the "big three" would cost us near what they will after Marner cashes in. Factor in JT and maybe you do have to make some hard decisions moving forward.

Nylander traded is an option for me, he still hasn't shown he's a true core piece. He looks a 5 mil player.

When they signed JT I alway felt one of the big three would have to go. Nylander is the logical choice especially based on his real dollar contract situation. Still, there is no rush to trade him.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

This was not run and gun hockey and Reimer was not the leaky sieve Freddy was in Game 7. Much different teams and situations.

Last year we also battled back in to the series, this year we took our foot off the pedal.

whatever stretch pass hockey to me has always been run and gun hockey ... call it whatever you want but no traditional structure

 

[Nineteen67]

So what’s up with the supposed exile of Kadri? I just heard Blair say he didn’t travel with the team and wasn’t around according to Luke Fox

 

[Gallagbi]

whatever stretch pass hockey to me has always been run and gun hockey ... call it whatever you want but no traditional structure

People misunderstand the stretch pass and how it's used pretty badly. We rarely used it to create odd man rushes, trade chances, etc.., It was mostly a release valve to exit the zone quickly and get pucks deep. We used it to help chip and chase primarily in this series, not run and gun.

This team wasn't fishing for breakaways, they were dumping in pucks to exit quickly.

 

[Duffman955]

Worse during the regular season, worse during the playoffs

What was good about this season?

Bunch of spineless chokers

 

[JT AM da real deal]

People misunderstand the stretch pass and how it's used pretty badly. We rarely used it to create odd man rushes, trade chances, etc.., It was mostly a release valve to exit the zone quickly and get pucks deep. We used it to help chip and chase primarily in this series, not run and gun.

This team wasn't fishing for breakaways, they were dumping in pucks to exit quickly.

again whatever i think i saw maybe 3 short pass exits the entire night. 10 icings in 1st period was most ever in history of record keeping at NHL level from stretch pass. we have no structure to our game. it was brutal to watch on TV. although I know you really can't see game properly on TV. hockey is a game where you really can only tell seeing the whole ice live.